1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to locking and holding devices for golf clubs, and more particularly to locking and holding devices for golf clubs in combination with a golf club bag.
2. Description of the Related Art
The protection of golf clubs from theft is a significant concern to golf players and golf club owners. As the cost of golf clubs and accessories rise it is not uncommon for a typical golfer to have a significant investment in the contents of his or her golf bag, including golf clubs, wedges, and fairway woods. It is also not uncommon for golfers to leave their bags unattended for significant periods of time while in the club house, locker room, restaurant, or when traveling.
Various golf bag protection devices have been proposed and implemented. Some for example, include two or more arms or fingers through which golf clubs protrude. The arms are closed at one end and then secured with a key or combination lock. Such devices are not integrally formed with the golf bag nor are such locks integral with the locking devices.
Another type of golf bag locking devices is seen, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,524,753 issued to Thomas Murphy, Jun. 11, 1996 and 5,636,735 issued to Richard A Stusek, Jun. 10, 1997. Such devices use a set of plates having slots or apertures therein to hold golf clubs and a locking plate to lock the clubs to the golf bags. This type of golf bag security device is configured either as part of the bag or is fastened on to the bag by means of screws or fasteners. Once these locks are in place then clubs are fed through openings which decrease in dimension as the lock is operated thereby sandwiching or pinching the golf club within the opening. Such limitations are undoubtedly a reason such golf club security devices have not received widespread acceptance.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a golf club bag with a golf club locking device integral therewith which provides docking stations that each golf club can snap or insert into. The individual docking stations hold the clubs by means of a rubber or elastic bumper that holds the clubs within a lock and also protects the shafts from any abrasion. Once the clubs have been inserted into these docking stations then the simple action of a slide latch moves a single locking plate across the opening of these docking stations closing off the opening and locking the clubs within the device. In contrast to prior golf club security devices, the present invention holds and secures a golf club while maintaining the size of the club docking stations, while prior devices have locked a golf club by decreasing the size of the openings into which the golf club is locked. Further, the present locking golf club bag and holder allows for the clubs to be organized within the bag. This allows for an "easy on/easy off" type of club holder that can be used during a round of play. In addition, the size and weight of the lock is such that it does not add significant weight to the locking golf bag configuration.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentality's and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.